Online Travel Booking and Bidding Agencies - Looking: Houston to Hanoi, Vietnam

Hoping to get one after Dec 19th 2005 and I can return whenever. All those search engines such as Priceline, expedia and such requires you to input specific dates. Cheapest that I saw was like $1400 PP. Why can't it be like looking for a cruise where I can look at a big RANGE of dates and different prices. Even if you change the return or departure date by 1 day, it can dramatically change the price. I tried mobissimo, but it isn't much help either. Thanks for any and all advice.


Also. The departture city is flexible.

Have you tried AF website? It should have IAH-CDG-HAN available. It also has option for you to input flexible dates.

Have you tried AF website? It should have IAH-CDG-HAN available. It also has option for you to input flexible dates.


I am assuming AF stands for airfare.com? Thanks. I will give it a try.

EDIT: Airfare.com isn't really flexible. It gives you the option for +-1day. Is that what flexible is when it comes to booking flights? Haha

EDIT2: When would the be the cheapest time to fly from December 20th to Jan 21. I undestand that christmas and new years would be peak time. Does that apply for international flights also? I am a newbie at flying. Thanks.

Edit3: Does the "closeness" of the departure and return date affect the prices? Say if I need to fly over there and come back within 7 days or 14 days or 3 days.

I am assuming AF stands for airfare.com? Thanks. I will give it a try.

I believe that AF is Air France.

I checked airfrance and it doesnt even seem like they fly to hanoi or saigon. Keeps telling me to modify my dates.

I checked airfrance and it doesnt even seem like they fly to hanoi or saigon. Keeps telling me to modify my dates.

They do but not everyday.

As far as I know before winter season, they fly to Hochimin on Tues, Thurs and weekend (both Sat and Sun) and fly to Hanoi on Mon, Wed and Fri only.

Those are flown via Bangkok, however, I was told by AF that during winter season (starting November 1), they have direct flight from Paris to those two cities.

Have you checked one of the many Vietnamese travel agents in the Houston area? They often have airfare & visa all-inclusive deals very cheap.

I've been to this area of Asia several times. One suggestion: It often is cheaper to buy separate tickets.

Bangkok is the big hub. Think of it as the Atlanta of Asia.

You can get a RT from BKK to almost anywhere in SE Asia on Thai Airlines for about $300 or less. You can buy on their website.

BKK to HAN is Thai, Vietnam Airlines, or AF. It is always about $300 and rarely have I seen less.

Buy a separate ticket to BKK. Through a Chinese food store or consolidator, you can get a RT in the $650 to $950 range, depending on time of year. NW is often under $1000 on their site, but lately they seem to have added a $100 fuel charge and the $1000 tics six months ago are all about $1100. On the other hand, a friend flew NW to China last month, and got a tic on nwa.com for under $1000 with only a two week advance purchase.

Buy an affordable tic to BKK, and then a separate on SG or MH or VN or TG to where you are going, depending on who goes there. It is often many hundreds less than a single ticket to HAN or SGN or your final destination.

I don't care for HCMC, but Hanoi is a great city. Enjoy.

BKK to HAN is Thai, Vietnam Airlines, or AF. It is always about $300 and rarely have I seen less.


Air Asia has just begin BKK - HAN. Tickets can be had for as litle as 3298 THB.

http://www.airasia.com/general.php?p=pmain&l=en

Piecing it together is a good bet. I just got SFO-SIN for $624.51 total on UA, then will be buying a Tiger Air ticket off of their website.

Question about pieced together ticket. Just returned from Vietnam and am going back in January. Looking at flying AA/Cathay to HKG and Cathay/Vietnam airlines into Vietnam. Some of the AA flights to Narita are codeshares with Cathay. Can I upgrade those flights with AA miles? I just cannot fly another 13 hour trip in coach.